Ep. 205, Skip Novak, High-Latitude Expedition Sailing and Expedition Sailboats
Skip Novak is a lifetime offshore sailor, veteran of four Whitbread Round the World and other races, and owner of Pelagic Expeditions. He recently published the boat "On Sailing."
We talk about the book, learning to sail, Kirsten Neuschafer, combining sailing and climbing, design aspects of proper bluewater cruising boats, deck layout on Skip's boats, rigging for heavy weather, heaving-to, drogues and sea anchors, rudders and keels, unnecessary features often found on modern sailboats, older boats, simplicity, communication, managing Starlink, safety, below-deck features of a bluewater boat, catamarans, favorite wildlife, sailing amongst ice, favorite moments, and more.
Vinson of Antarctica
Owen's WhatsApp 1-561-827-5457
Go to the article below for much more information
Ep. 204, Living Aboard and Sailing a Proper Electric Sailboat with SV Vagari
Keith and Becca bought a Pearson 424 that needed a refit, and when the time came to repower, they found an inexpensive electric motor and made a quick decision to build an electri-motor system. They eventually sailed off from Texas to the Caribbean, worked their way upwind to the Windward Islands, then to the Azores, where they were when I talked to them. They've been sailing and living aboard for six years, and have a wealth of knowledge and experience with their electric-motor system.
We get into all the details about their system, but we also talk about the Azores, free and silent motor assist sailing, having unlimited power, refitting their Pearson 424, sailing upwind through the Caribbean, losing the prop shaft coupler, cavitation caused by seaweed on the prop strut, micro-route-planning offshore with Starlink, unexpected issues, their 48-volt system, life at anchor with 2500 watts of solar and a large lithium battery bank, comparing the electric motor to a diesel motor, comparing costs of repowering with a diesel motor vs electric, how to make the decision to go electric or diesel, batteries, and more.
The current solar array of 1600W on the new hard bimini built in Trinidad, plus 900W off the davits.
In the middle of installing a new battery bank
In the midst of originally installing and wiring up the electric motor.
Ep. 203, Tanguy de Lamotte, Vita Power, and Electric Boats
Tanguy de Lamotte is a French sailor and naval architect, and veteran of many offshore races, including the two Vendeé Globes and several Transats. He is also part of Vita Power, a company that makes electric boats. We talk about electric boats and their environmental advantages, the Vita Power boats, single-use plastics and why we shouldn't use them, sailing IMOCA boats, foiling, cruising, and more.
Ep. 202, Simon Curwen, Ocean Globe Race aboard Translated 9
Simon Curwen recently skippered Translated 9, a Swan 65, in the Ocean Globe Race, which was a re-creation of the 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race. The race consisted of 4 legs, from the UK to Cape Town, South Africa; to Aukland, New Zealand; to Punta del Este, Uruguay; and back to the UK.
Simon started as the navigator aboard Translated 9, and was the skipper for the last two legs. They had a great first two legs, but suffered hull damage in the third.
We talk about the boat, sailing a ketch, different sailplans, the difference between sailing solo and with crew, hank-on sails, foul-weather gear, preventers, adjustable backstays, using a jockey pole, highlights of the four legs, Marie Tabarly getting bit by a seal, a crack in the mast, surfing, running aground, taking on the role of skipper, rounding Cape Horn, a broach and knockdown resulting in a crack in the hull, the Falkland Islands, and Simon's new boat - an X 412.
Owen's WhatsApp 1-561-827-5457
Ep. 201, Sail Trim Basics with Carl Damm
Carl Damm is a sailing instructor and owner of Damsel Marine, a yacht managment and maintenance consulting service. We talk about the basics of trimming sails, like using adjustable jib-sheet cars, the boom vang, the outhaul, halyard tension, asymetrical spinnakers, using a spinnaker net, downwind sailing, flying the main or not when on a deep broad reach, sailing wing-on-wing, etc.
Carl has sailed on a lot of different boats, and we talk about what he likes and does not like in a sailboat, from a full-keeled gaff-rigged schooner to a light and fast Deerfoot, and design aspects he likes, as well as things he doens'nt like, like too many through-hulls, how to design with fewer through-hulls, catamarans, the value of a simple boat, sailing his Compac 19, refitting a Tartan 27, The Bahamas, Damsel Marine, managing yachts, etc. and what his dream boat would be.
I tell a story about my genoa sheets getting caught inside the furled genoa and causing a serious problem, and another about tearing the genoa and heaving-to wrong. Carl tells of making a mistake on the Compac with a bunch of non-sailors aboard, and a favorite moment offshore.
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The Original Damsel, a 1938 Rhodes Bounty
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Ep. 200, Gunnar Christensen, Preparing for the 2026 Golden Globe Race
Gunnar Christensen is entered in the 2026 Golden Globe Race. We talk about his motivations, what he hopes to gain from the race, his competetiveness, preparing for the race both mentally and physically, singlehanding and being alone on the ocean, Tapio's book On a Belt of Foaming Seas, The Whitbread, the Royal National Lifeboat Institute, sailing full-keeled vs fin-keeled boats, jacklines and tethers, preventers and boom brakes, using an umbrella as a bimini, the Tradewind 35, the Hydrovane, books, music, and more.
Owen's WhatsApp 1-561-827-5457
Michael Guggenberger 's ketch-rigged Biscay 36
Tradewind 35
Ep. 199, Alan Fishbone, Heavy Weather in the North Atlantic
Alan Fishbone lives on his Lord Nelson 35, currently in the British Virgin Islands. He sailed there from New York in December and encountered heavy weather, which we discuss. We also talk about living on a boat, solar power, Lord Nelson sailboats, heavy weather and sailplans, accidental jibes, the Bermuda Triangle, full-keel cutters, boom brakes, the British Virgin Islands, the Hydrovane, driving in reverse and not being able to steer, Puerto Rico Culebra, San Juan, and more.
Ep. 198, Kirsten Neuschafer, Winner of the 2022 GGR
Kirsten won the 2022 Golden Globe Race, and became the first woman to win a sailing race around the world by the three great capes, crewed or solo, and the first South African to win an around the world race. Kirsten sailed Minnehaha, a Cape George 36 in the race, which she refit over one year in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Before the race, she worked as a skipper with Skip Novak's Pelagic Expeditions, taking crews to Antartica, Patagonia, South Georgia Island, and the Falklands.
We talk about preparing for the race, her boat, the ten sails she took, maximizing boat speed, different sail combinations, the double-yankee sail, reefing, using a trisail, hositing and dousing the spinnaker, tiller vs wheel, using the Hydrovane, navigational difficulties, getting more in tune with nature when sailing without modern electronics, the mental challenge of calms, rescuing Tapio Lehtinen, beautiful experiences in the race, future plans, and more.
Owen's WhatsApp 1-561-827-5457
Ep. 197, A Conversation with Jerome Rand of Sailing into Oblivion
Jerome Rand is the host of the podcast Sailing into Oblivion, and author of the book by the same name, describing his solo nonstop sail around the wolrd in Mighty Sparrow, his Westsail 32. This episode is not one of us interviewing the other, but rather a conversation between us.
We talk about our boats, reefing, safety, the higher latitudes, cold and fog, wearing a tether or not, sharks, drowing, books, getting rolled by a rogue wave, and much more.
Ep. 196, Heather Thomas, Winner of the 2023 Ocean Globe Race
Heather Thomas skippered SV Maiden to victory in the 2023 Ocean Globe Race (OGR), and the crew became the first first all-female crew to win an around the world race. Heather was also the youngest skipper in the race, at 27 years old.
We talk about how she learned to sail and gain enough experience to be chosen to skipper Maiden in the OGR, preparing for the race, using a staysail and storm jib, broad-reach sailplans, the history of the boat, why women are beginning to win sailing races (competing against men), Heather's role and daily routine as the skipper, celestial navigating, foul weather, dealing with calms, the crew's favorite conditions, winning, The Maiden Factor, foul-weather gear, dealing with the cold, advice for young sailors who want to get involved in offshore racing, books, and more.
Ep. 195, Owen Murphy, Panama to The Marquesas
Owen Murphy recently crossed the Panama Canal, then sailed to the Galapagos islands, and on to the Marquesas, solo, on his Pacific Seacraft 34.
We talk about learning French, Polynesian tattoos, provisioning, cyclones, sailing from Panama to The Marquesas, siglehanding, Owen's Pacific Seacraft 34, spinnaker mishaps and lessons, going up the mast, gooseneck barnacles, climbing the mast at night, the three types of fun, wearing a helmet, boats that sank, securing the anchor at the bow when offshore, whales, transiting the Panama Canal, Owen's dream-boat pick, talking to yourself, and more!
Ep. 194, Lutz Kohne and the Golden Globe Race
Lutz Kohne is entered in the 2026 Golden Globe Race, and was part of the race organization in the 2022 GGR, taking satellite calls from the sailors and dealing with emergencies.
We talk about learning to sail, making mistakes, going offshore for the first time, losing the engine while docking, working with Don McIntyre in the 2022 Golden Globe Race and taking staellite calls from the competitors, safety, crossing the Atlantic solo, dealing with fear, Tapio Lehtinen's rescue, re-routing the container ship and issues related to this, searching for a boat, sailing a Rustler 36, books, rigging a staysail downhaul, hank-on sails vs furled sails, and questions Lutz asks me.
Owen's WhatsApp: +1 (561) 827-5457
Ep. 193, Rob Hamill, The Cruising Kiwis
Rob and his family, aka The Cruising Kiwis, bought their 43ft catamaran, Javelot, with minimal sailing experience to retrace the tragic sailing trip of Rob's eldest brother, Kerry, who was captured and executed by the Kmer Rouge in Cambodia in 1978. When we spoke, they were in the Maldives, having just visited Thailand, and making progress on their circumnavigation.
We talk about catamaran sailing, Cambodia, Angkor Wat, cruising SE Asia, their route across the Indian Ocean, lightning strikes, home schooling / no schooling, shallow-water blackouts, freediving safety, sharks, favorite things from each conutry visited, the importance of overcoming fear, and more.
Ep. 192, John Ensley, Cruise-N-Learn Sailing International
John spends his summers sailing in Puget Sound, and the winters in La Paz, Mexico. He is the owner, founder, and sailing director of Cruise-n-Learn Sailing International.
We talk about learning to sail, La Paz, Mexico, live-aboard sail training, reefing, asymmetrical spinnakers, anchors, electronics, Starlink, heaters, the school boat fleet in La Paz, catamarans, safety protocols, PFD's, jacklines, tethers, harnesses, falling off the boat while at anchor, favorite places, the Pacific Northwest, bucket-list destinations, the art of sail trim, and more.
Ep. 191, Tips for Cruising and Living Aboard
After making a life for myself cruising, sailing offshore, and living aboard full time, I share tips and lessons I've learned along the way. I talk about ways to prepare for this lifestyle and how to enjoy it once out on the water, living in a sailboat. I also talk about sailing education, safety, getting used to the water, the importance of water sports, yoga and meditation, books, culture, freediving, maintenance, having a mission, being flexible, sobriety, and much more.
Ep. 190, Brian Dale, Cruising as a Nomadic Musician
Brian is a solo sailor on a Hughes 38, currently in Georgetown, The Bahamas. He supports his cruising by playing the guitar and singing, sometimes putting on dinghy concerts from his boat in the anchorage.
We talk about anchoring and the new mooring balls in Georgetown, sailing from Lake Huron to The Bahamas, sailing with a tiny fuel tank, losing a dinghy, the Dominican Republic, his boat, reefing, autopilots, Cape Horn windvane, spinnakers, anchors, sailing on and off anchor, dinghy concerts, bucket-list destinations, Costa Rica, learning to sail, the love of sailing, solo passages, sleeping on a boat, dragging anchor, lithium batteries, solar panels, Starlink, and more!
If you'd like to bring Brian his sail, from the US to The Bahamas, his email is
acousticgoodguy@hotmail.com
Ep. 189, Expeditions to Antarctica, Michael Brooks
Michael Brooks of Expedition Sailing has been taking clients on skiing and climbing expeditions from South America to Antarctica.
We talk about sailing to Antarctica, picking the right weather window, steel boats, their maintenance, pros and cons; Michael's dream boat, running expeditions in Antarctica, Antarctica politics, anchoring/mooring in Antarctica, Ice and icebergs, dressing for the cold, features that make a boat comfortable in high latitudes, wildlife in Antarctica, a survival situation at sea, using a windvane autopilot and an electronic autopilot to steer when running downwind in storm conditions, heaving-to, overwintering in the Arctic, polar bears, and more!
book mentioned during the interview
Ep. 188, Four Years and 35 Countries with Helen Shrewsbury
Helen recently completed a four-year journey from the UK to New Zealand and visited 35 countries along the way. We talk about her boat, the journey, some of her favorite countries, The Gambia, sailing under the bridge on The Gambia River with only inches to spare, hippos, the people and culture, anchoring, her electrical and solar systems, and much more.
Ep. 187, Tapio Lehtinen, from the Last Stop of the Ocean Globe Race
Tapio Lehtinen was in the port of Punta del Este, Uruguay, during the last stop of the Ocean Globe Race, a re-creation of the Whitbread Round the World Race, when we spoke. He was sailing on Galiana With Secure, a 1970 S&S 55 yawl with a young crew of Finnish sailors.
We talk about the boat, sailing from the last stop in New Zeland to Uruguay, going around Cape Horn, birds of the Southern Ocean, other wildlife, safety, a typical day for Tapio during the race, the crew, comparing Galiana to modern boats, and much more.
Ep. 186, Dismasting in the Global Solo Challenge, Ronnie Simpson
Ronnie Simpson was racing solo around the world in an Open 50 when he dismasted soon after rounding Cape Horn, and with a storm approaching with forecasted 70-knot wind and 30' seas. We discuss the events leading up to the dismasting, making the decision to call for rescue, as well as the race, details about sailing a thirty-year-old open 50 in an around-the-world race, rounding the three great capes, sleeping, the beauty of sailing in the Southern Ocean, fears, emotions, and Ronnie's future plans of a Vendee Globe campaign.
Ep. 185, Panama to Mexico with Brendan and Chanell Moore
Brendan and Chanell recently sailed their Bruce Roberts 36 from Bocas del Toro, Panama, to Isla Mujeres, Mexico, in late December, saw some dificult weather and had to adapt their plans. We also talk about the passage, the boat they bought in Florida, a 1985 Noresman 447 designed by Robert Perry, Panama, Tobobe, the Ngobe Indians, Starlink, pirates, foul weather, trouble with the windvane, superstitions, customs, Mexico, the ICW, creature comforts,
Ep.184, Understanding Boat Statistics, Panama Update 2/2024
In this episode, I talk about the Global Solo Challenge and the boats in the race, focusing on sailboat data and how that affects a sailboat's performance. I also talk about what I've been up to, components on my boat that I like or dislike, angry local surfers, theft in Panama, seasickness, my electrical system upgrade to a lithium battery, and more.
Ep. 183, Extended Cruising with Children, Suzanne Heywood, Author of Wavewalker
When Suzanne was 7 years old, she set sail from Plymouth, England, on the schooner Wavewalker with her parents and brother. Their trip, which was recreating Captain Cook's third voyage around the world, was supposed to last for three years but ended up taking a decade. Along the way they were shipwrecked in the Indian Ocean and, as she grew older, Suzanne had to fight to gain an education and return home. Her international bestselling book 'Wavewalker' tells the story of that voyage.
We talk all about not only the journey, but also the book, and most importantly, issues a family should consider before planning an exrtended voyage with children.
Ep 182, Cruising a Trailerable Trimaran with Tom and Kelsey Bohanon
Tom and Kelsey live in Colorado and cruise and race in a 28' Corsair trimaran. I met the in the Ragged Islands, The Bahamas. They also raced the trimaran in the Race to Alaska. We talk about The Bahamas, Greenland, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, foul-weather gear, spearfishing, sharks, the Race to Alaska, human propulsion systems, restoring an aluminum boat, cruising in British Columbia and the Sea of Cortez, and more!
Ep. 181, Webb Chiles, Going Beyond the Limits of Human Experience
Headshot by Steve Earley
Webb Chiles is a solo sailor and author. He has circumnavigated six times, was the first American to sail solo around Cape Horn during which he broke Chichester's record, nearly circumnavigated in an open boat - an 18' Drascombe Lugger, and most recently circumnavigated on a Moore 24. His mission in life has been, as he says, "to go beyond the limits of human experience and sends back reports." He is the author of "Storm Passage," "Open Boat Across the Pacific," "The Ocean Waits," "A Single Wave," "The Fifth Circle," "Shadows," as well as many articles and poems. We talk about his sailing adventures and phiosophies, and discuss passages I highlighted in his book "Storm Passage," which I read (for the second time) before the interview. Webb is truly a legend among sailors, as well as a fascinating character and a great speaker.
Ep. 180, Schooner Sailing with Seth Bird
Seth Bird sails a steel schooner and has worked on commercial vessels for over 20 years, ranging from the USCG and NOAA to oil field support vessels and tall ships. We talk about tall ships, marlinspike seamanship, lessons we can learn from commercial shipping, communications, talking to commercial ships on the VHF radio, AIS, steel boats, sailing a schooner, sailing without winches, raising the anchor without a windlass, anchors and anchoring, sailing with kids, and more!
Ep.179, Unfinished Business with Guy deBoer
Guy deBoer, who crashed on a reef in the 2022 GGR, is planning on sailing around the world in the spirit of the 2022 Golden Globe Race, but on his own, and in 2024. We talk about lessons learned from the 2022 race, repairing his boat, how he has it set up, reefing, downwind sail trim and sailplans, tiller vs wheel, windvanes, and lots more.
Ep. 178, Tapio Lehtinen in the Ocean Globe Race
I spoke with Tapio during his stopover in Auckland, NZ, during the Ocean Globe Race. We talk about the race, his boat (a Swam 55 yawl), sails, the sinking of Asteria in the 2022 GGR, being rescued by Kirsten, Galiana's crew, crossing the equator, looking forward to Cape Horn, the decreasing wildlife in the oceans, and more.
Ep. 177, Aluminum High-Latitude Boats with Jelle Engel of KM Yachtbuilders
Jelle Engel works for KM Yachtbuilders in sustainability development and sales and is a design manager. He supported the team to develop the Bestevaer 36 and 42, working closely with Dykstra Naval Architects. We talk abvout sailing to Greenland and Iceland, weather forecasting, ice, lifting keels, freezing into the ice, ballast in lifting-keel boats, aluminum boat advantages and disadvantages, owning and maintaining an aluminum boat, features of high-latitude boats, protecting rudders from ice, sustainability in yacht building, electric engines, generators, sailing in uninhabited places, and much more!
Stadship 56, built by KM Yachtbuilders
Ep. 176, Sailing in the Pacific Northwest with Tim Whelan
Tim Whelan sails a Cape George 38 out of Seattle. We talk about sailing in the Pacific Northwest, sailing solo, sleeping while solo, sailing full-keel boats, backing up in marinas, building a wooden dinghy, autopilots, reefing, eliminating friction in raising the main, anchoring, books, Hydrovanes, preventers, circumnavigating Vancouver Island, dealing with fear, destinations, wildlife, and more!
Ep. 174, Erick and Jenny VanMalssen in the South Pacific
Erick and Jenny recently sailed from Panama to the South Pacific. We talk about preparing for the Pacific crossings, their Hydrovane, their Tides Marine sailtrack, new sails, Panama, spearfishing, their Downeast 38, Panama to the Galapagos, boobies (and other birds), The Galapagos, sea lions, Galapagos to Fatu Hiva, rough seas, fishing, dealing with fear and anxiety, safety, watch schedules, tethers and jacklines, rules, clearing in in the Marquesas, anchoring, floating the chain, diving, sharks, surfing, power, water, Starlink, and more!
Ep. 173, Guy Waites, GGR 2022
Guy Waites sailed around the world in the 2022 Golden Globe Race. He had to stop in Cape Town to scrape barnacles, then had to stop at Hobart after losing his liferaft in a knockdown, but he persevered and completed the solo circumnavigation. We talk about preparing for the race, gooseneck barnacles, full-keel boats vs modern designs, his boat - a Tradewind 35, sails, downwind sailplans, 2-line reefing, safety, being knocked down, keeping a clear head in storm conditions, rounding Cape Horn, enjoying solitude, mental challenges, towing warps, albatross, future sailing plans, sailing a class 40, and more!
